By Michael Natelli ‘14

The World Cup

Soccer is often referred to as “the world’s game,” because, while it may be the fifth most popular sport in America (professionally), it’s almost a way of life in many cultures. European and South American soccer fans are as passionate and energetic a breed of sports enthusiast as you’ll ever encounter, and the World Cup serves as a host site for the pilgrimage many of them make every four years. Experiencing a World Cup gives an American fan a newfound perspective on what sport really means in a global context. Additionally, the World Cup is an opportunity to be exposed to new cultures; both through the people you meet and through the experiences you have in the host country. With so many countries competing, stadiums are spread out into multiple locations around the host country, giving tourists an opportunity to explore multiple cities on their soccer excursion. Brazil will play host to this summer’s Cup, but if you can’t make it on short notice, Russia and Qatar will host the 2018 and 2022 cups, respectively.

The Summer Olympic Games

A reinvented version of one of the original great sporting events in history, the first Summer Olympiad took place in 1896. 2016’s Summer Games will celebrate the 120th anniversary of the more modern version of the competition. The Games offer something for sports fans of all kinds, as there will be 28 different sports (including the notable addition of rugby) and 306 total events to attend. Like this summer’s World Cup, it will take place in Brazil (in many of the same stadiums). If you have your heart set on a trip to Rio de Janeiro but can’t manage to put something together before June, start planning for 2016.

Cooperstown, The Baseball Hall of Fame

While every sport has a Hall of Fame, nothing compares to the Baseball Mecca that is Cooperstown, New York. The museum itself is host to some of baseball’s greatest historical artifacts, such as Babe Ruth’s locker, and in addition to the actual museum, baseball-themed restaurants and museums line the streets, giving travelers plenty to do when they’re done touring all three floors of the Hall of Fame museum. Cooperstown also features Otsego Lake, giving tourists a non-baseball marvel to enjoy when their home-run experience is over.